Food and the Brain

Here we go again. What kind of food is good; what is bad? My favorite meal is a hamburger with fries. When I am down, take me to a fast food joint and after I eat, I am happy and up again. Reason??? Maybe the protein is positive for our brain.

A review of studies examining the relationship between protein intake and stoke incidence in more than 250,000 participants found that individuals who consumed the greatest amounts of protein (about 20 grams a day) over a 14 year period were 20% less likely to suffer a stoke than were those who consumed little or no protein. Dietary protein is linked to lower bloood pressure, which may help reduce stoke risk. Lean and lean is the important word, animal protein such as protein derived from fish provided the greatest benefit with a 29% decline in stroke risk. Proteins derived from vegetables were associated with a 12% decrease in stroke risk. Now experts do suggest limiting consumption of animal proteins with high levels of saturated fat as these may actually increase vulnerablity to stroke. You can read the full article in the June 11, 2014 online issue of Neurology. So I guess I should buy lean meat and make my own hamburgers from now on, but you can’t beat McDonalds for the fries.(Thanks to Mind, Mood and Memory for this info)